Dr. Vijai S Shankar MD.PhD.
Published on www.academy-advaita.com
The Netherlands
18th December 2015
Interaction
“Can man do?”
Man believes that he can do many things in daily life, and he believes that others can do as well. This is because man firmly believes that he can do. But is it so is the question? Therefore, it is important to understand whether a man can do. To do anything man needs to interact.
The doing is an interaction when we meet. Interaction may either be in the form of an action, listening or speaking. It is evident that we meet a person in the present moment to interact. But the question is, do we make the present moment in which we interact?
Deep understanding reveals that man neither makes the present moment in which he is, nor the next moment. The moment in life just is and man is unable to make the present moment in which he is.
Therefore, on deep pondering it is evident that meeting a person in a moment happens because man does not make the present moment happen. This implies that the meeting in the moment is not determined by a person. The present moment includes the persons meeting.
In a day several movements of the body happen every moment, and man is neither conscious of these movements nor do these movements appear as actions or interactions to man. This implies that in a particular moment there is always a movement and man neither does an action nor interacts.
Therefore, an interaction is illusory in a moment and not actual in a moment, because in a moment there is only movement of the body which man is not aware of. Therefore, man neither does an action nor interacts in a moment and a moment is all that happens in every moment, spontaneously, uncontrollably and unpredictably.
Hence, man is neither acting nor interacting, but is merely moving and believes that he does, is doing and can act and interact. Honesty reveals this is the belief. The enlightened have correctly proclaimed that man is not the doer, and an action or an interaction is illusory and not an actuality.
Author: Dr. Vijai S. Shankar
© Copyright V. S. Shankar 2015
Editor’s Note:
Every person who, for example, buys a ticket in order to attend a football match or a concert or who goes to a restaurant, including those providing the service, and even those who go there to create a disturbance, is convinced that he or she made the decision to go and so acted accordingly. The idea for each person is that he or she is in control; not to be in control of any meeting of people may give way to anxiety or even fear. Such is the understanding in this article Interaction that it throws into question man’s assumed status in his life. Man has always claimed the high ground and will always assert his right to protect it.
Julian Capper, UK
Dutch translator’s note:
In this article Dr. Shankar points to the reality which is beyond the daily meaning we give to interaction. Normally, interaction is seen as full of intentions and fully under our control. Intention and control being illusory defies our imagination. Still, after reading this article, the mind must admit that man cannot be the doer, and that what we call interaction, is an spontaneous, unpredictable and uncontrollable movement in het moment, of which we are the observer and are part of.
Paula Smit, The Netherlands